But here a question ariseth, Are we bound to have assurance of our sincerity before we come to the Lord's table ? I answer —
1. We are bound to be sincere, and to examine whether we be sincere ; and so the decision is, we may come without assurance, but
4C2 A SERMON ON JOHN XIII. 8.
we cannot regularly come without examination. I shall prove both I tarts.
[1.] That we may come without assurance; for though sincerity be absolutely necessary to the acceptance of the new covenant, yet being and seeing are distinct. A man may be sincere, and have a right to the blessings of the covenant and yet see it not, or not discern his riglit and title. That dependeth on the clearness of our sanctification, and the evidence of the Spirit witne.s.sing the truth thereof, which is not vouchsafed ordinarily, but to eminent self-denying christians ; and therefore, if none but those who have evidence of their sincerity should come to the Lord's table, a great part of those that profess his name should be cut off from an use of this holy means, because they have not the fruits of serious diligence, 2 Peter i. 10, and self-denying obedience, 1 John iii. 19, and so would lose not only the sense of their interest in spiritual privileges, but God's helj^ to obedience ; for sacra- ments are not only means to confirm our faith in God's promises, but to engage us to purity and holiness ; and the absurdity of cutting off so many christians from this help and means is obvious.
[2.] We ought not to come without examination, because we have the express injunction of scripture, 1 Cor. xi. 28. And the reason of the thing enforceth it, that you may find out what inward corruptions and sinful inclinations are yet strongest in you, and hear what God and conscience have to say to you as to the fulfilling of your former covenants, or what you have yet to complain of as your greatest burden, what grace you most need to remove the impediment; for on God's part all things are ready.
2. If we cannot approve ourselves as sincere upon examination, we must the more seriously renew our faith and repentance by these acts.
[1.] You must dedicate yourselves anew by renouncing sin with an utter detestation, or renewing your purposes to forsake all sin, never to meddle with it any more : Isa. xxx. 22, ' Thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth, and say unto them, Get you hence.' The phrase implieth hatred and abhorrence of sin; So, get you gone; I have nothing to do with you, Hosea xiv. 8 ; and so Job xxxiv. 33. Xever purpose to commit any sin ; yea, purpose to oppose all sin ; and these purposes often renewed, lest you grow remiss in them.
2. Bewailing our failings ; when God hath opened a fountain for r.ncleanness, that we are not clean unto this veiy day, Isa, Ixiv. 6, ' We ;ire all as an unclean thing, all our righteousnesses as filthy rags,* for which we are justly loathsome to God.
3. Hunger and thirst for this grace, Mat. v. 6, in confidence and hope, through Jesus Christ, to have the work brought to greater per- fection : Col. i. 21, 22, ' And you, that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight ; ' and E[)h. v. 26, 27, ' That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious clun-ch, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing ; but that it should be holy and without blemish.'
A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE SONS OF THE CLERGY.
Tlie children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall he established hefcrre thee. — Ps. cii. 28.
The context speaketh of God's unchangeableness. The world changeth, and we change, but God changeth not ; in the midst of all confusions he is where he was at first. Now this is a great comfort to God's people, both as to their persons and to their posterity. For their personal happiness, whatever breaches are made upon them, they cannot perish utterly that have an interest in an unchangeable God. When engaged in a good cause, they may die, and fall in the quarrel ; but God liveth for ever, and so their service will not be lost. His promises are mostly made good in the other world ; therefore a poor mortal creature may find and enjoy happiness enough in a living God. Thus as to their persons. Now to their posterity : it is a comfort that when we go to the grave we have a God with whom to leave our children when we can provide for them no longer ; he hath undertaken to look after them, and bring them U{). Tliis is the other part of the comfort — The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall he established before thee.
In which words observe — (1.) The persons ; (2.) And then their privilege.
1. The persons — The children of thy servants.